SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: ROLLERBALL

"ROLLERBALL"
(2002) (Chris Klein, Jean Reno) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	Moderate	Extreme	Moderate	Extreme

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	Mild	Heavy	*None	Heavy

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Mild	None	Mild	Extreme

QUICK TAKE:: Action/Adventure: The star of a violent sport of the future tries to figure out what to do when he discovers that various "accidents" have been purposefully created to generate higher TV ratings.

PLOT:

It's the year 2005 and Rollerball, which is part roller derby and part hockey with players on motorcycles - is the sport of choice in Asia. Its most popular player is American Jonathan Cross (CHRIS KLEIN) who was recruited by his friend and fellow teammate Marcus Ridley (LL COOL J).

After only four months with the team, he's already the favorite of owner Alexi Petrovich (JEAN RENO) and his assistant Sanjay (NAVEEN ANDREWS), and is having an affair with teammate Aurora (REBECCA ROMIJN-STAMOS) on the side.

Things are going fine until Jonathan realizes that an injury to another teammate that occurred on the track was no accident, and reports it to Alexi. The owner vows to look into the matter, but the higher TV ratings it brought change his perception of the game. From that point on, Jonathan realizes he's just a pawn in the sport and does what he can to break free from the system.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of anyone in the cast or violent, fantasy style sports, they just might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For violence, extreme sports action, sensuality, language and some drug references.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: CHRIS KLEIN plays a rookie Rollerball player who's the most popular among the fans. He uses some profanity, has sex with Aurora, and then decides he must report and then take on the corporate corruption that's threatening the sport and its players.
JEAN RENO plays the owner of the team who turns greedy and murderous when it comes to achieving and then maintaining high TV ratings.
LL COOL J plays the Rollerball player who persuades Jonathan to join his team and look the other way regarding the corruption, before eventually realizing it's dangerous. He uses some profanity.
REBECCA ROMIJN-STAMOS plays their teammate who's sleeping with Jonathan on the side and uses some profanity.
NAVEEN ANDREWS plays Alexi's assistant who's also involved in the corrupt wrongdoings.; JEAN RENO plays the owner of the team who turns greedy and murderous when it comes to achieving and then maintaining high TV ratings.
LL COOL J plays the Rollerball player who persuades Jonathan to join his team and look the other way regarding the corruption, before eventually realizing it's dangerous. He uses some profanity.
REBECCA ROMIJN-STAMOS plays their teammate who's sleeping with Jonathan on the side and uses some profanity.
NAVEEN ANDREWS plays Alexi's assistant who's also involved in the corrupt wrongdoings.; LL COOL J plays the Rollerball player who persuades Jonathan to join his team and look the other way regarding the corruption, before eventually realizing it's dangerous. He uses some profanity.
REBECCA ROMIJN-STAMOS plays their teammate who's sleeping with Jonathan on the side and uses some profanity.
NAVEEN ANDREWS plays Alexi's assistant who's also involved in the corrupt wrongdoings.; REBECCA ROMIJN-STAMOS plays their teammate who's sleeping with Jonathan on the side and uses some profanity.
NAVEEN ANDREWS plays Alexi's assistant who's also involved in the corrupt wrongdoings.; NAVEEN ANDREWS plays Alexi's assistant who's also involved in the corrupt wrongdoings.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a quick look at the content found in this action-adventure film that's been rated PG-13. Violence consists of several people being killed in various ways (on the Rollerball track by being hit, being shot to death, hit by explosives, etc.), as well as all sorts of brutal, sports-related contact and other fighting, and some property damage. Some of those scenes have moderately bloody results, and they and others could be suspenseful to some viewers.

Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word and other expletives, while various colorful phrases and some sexually related comments are also present. We partially see a sexual encounter in a locker room, and see a woman's partial nudity (while other scantily clad women are seen in various scenes). Various characters have bad attitudes, while some drink and/or smoke, one appears to smoke a joint, and some drug references are present.

Meanwhile, some behavior (such as racing down hilly city streets while lying on a skateboard) could be enticing for some kids to imitate. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Miscellaneous people drink beer.
Various people drink in a bar.
A sportscaster pours what's presumably liquor of some sort from a bottle into whatever he's drinking, and later appears to be smoking a joint.
Various people in the owner's box drink.
A comment is made about a player being "doped up," and Marcus warns Jonathan that one could be on PCP.
A reporter asks Marcus if his mother is a "crack whore" (he says she isn't, but the TV subtitles state it's true).
Various people drink in a club, including many team players who drink shots.
Various people with Alexi drink.
A woman brings a sportscaster a drink.
Various people drink in the crowd.
People in a bar drink.
A player is given an injection of something, but we don't know what it is.

BLOOD/GORE: We see what looks like blood on the track after a player is hit in the face (that's a little bloody), and Jonathan appears to have some blood on his jersey.
Aurora has a bad scar that runs above and below one of her eyes.
Some players have bloody cuts on their faces during another match.
Marcus has a few bloody cuts/bruises on his head.
Jonathan has some bloody cuts on his face.
Various players have blood on their faces, including Jonathan, during another match.
Jonathan's face is very bloody.
Alexi has a little bit of blood on his face.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Alexi and others (including various players) responsible for using manipulated accidents, injuries and the like to boost ratings obviously have both, particularly when their intentions turn murderous.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" may also be tense or unsettling to some viewers.
A huge opponent knocks Aurora from her motorcycle, and then rips the gas line before letting her back on it (she kicks him at this point, but doesn't realize the leaking fuel). As she rides off (leaving a trail of gasoline on the track), the man lights the fuel and the fire races after her. Marcus manages to knock her from her ride just in time (as it catches on fire), but then rides up over the top of the Plexiglas side and crashes to the floor below (we see him being taken away on a stretcher with a few bloody cuts/bruises on his head).
As Jonathan and Marcus try to escape at night, various vehicles approach them from behind and Marcus then bumps and rams the other vehicles into railings, etc. (with the two eventually escaping from their van on a motorcycle). As they then ride along at high speeds, lights come up behind them and a huge plane flies just overhead and lands in front of them. Dune buggies then come out and pursue the two off-road, with someone firing some sort of explosive shells at them, eventually knocking them from their ride. After Marcus then jumps an opened drawbridge, another explosive shell hits his bike, knocking him to the road (and injuring or killing him).
Alexi opens the back of a cargo plane in flight and threatens to throw Jonathan from it, but is restrained from doing so.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns/Shotgun: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill various people. See "Violence" for details.
Explosives: Fired at some men trying to escape on a motorcycle.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Go f*ck yourself," "Dogsh*t," "No sh*t," "Sh*thole," "Oh, sh*t," "What is this sh*t?" "Holy sh*t," "How the hell are you doing?" "Dufus ass," "Laid" (sexual), "Thanks for saving my ass," "You're an idiot" "Jeez," "Stubborn bastard," "Stay the hell away from him," "What the hell /is wrong with the official/is going on/are they doing?" "Crack whore" (a reporter asks Marcus if that's what his mother is), "Nuts" (crazy) and "Ass wipe."
Jonathan and another person race down the hilly streets of San Francisco lying feet first on elongated skateboards, zipping through traffic, stop signs and busy intersections. Later, Marcus drives up alongside Jonathan who pulls himself into the moving car from the skateboard.
A player gives "the finger" to Jonathan, and Aurora later does the same to a player who flashes her.
Jonathan and the other players race off in their sports cars and speed/zip through traffic.
During a Rollerball match, a woman knocks down an opponent dressed like a knight in armor, removes a feather from his helmet, and then acts like she's sticking it in his clothed rear end.

JUMP SCENES: A man suddenly grabs Aurora.
A person suddenly grabs Aurora in another scene.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A heavy amount of suspenseful or ominous music plays during the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None that we heard, but various songs have lyrics that can't be understood, thus offering the possibility of them potentially containing something objectionable.

PROFANITY: Due to a poor audio mix where other noises/music occasionally drown out the dialogue, the following should be considered a minimum: At least 1 "f" word, 20 "s" words, 2 slang terms for sex ("laid"), 1 possible slang term using female genitals ("box"), 8 asses (3 used with "hole"), 6 hells, 1 S.O.B., 7 uses of "G-damn" and 1 use each of "For Christ's sakes" and "Oh my God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: Marcus tells Jonathan that with Rollerball, even "a dufus ass, white boy like you can get laid."
A sportscaster jokingly tells a woman following him that he knows her nipples get hard from the very sight of him.
We see various male players in the locker room with just towels around their waists, while various women are seen in small/revealing attire. One male player then opens his towel and flashes Aurora (we don't see anything), but she just walks away (we see her bare back) and gives him "the finger." A comment is then made that she only bats for the home team (possible sexual connotation).
Some women in a club show varying amounts of cleavage (one of them shows a great deal), while the camera briefly focuses on a woman's crotch as she goes up some steps (and wears something like a bikini bottom). We also see some people dancing in what looks like S&M leather outfits.
Marcus asks Jonathan if he ever tried to "get laid" with an accounting degree (meaning he couldn't in that profession while he can as a Rollerball player).
A classic painting on a wall shows bare-breasted women.
Various women show cleavage.
Jonathan returns to the locker room late at night and sees Aurora working out while topless (we see her bare back). As she walks off (to destroy some surveillance cameras), we briefly see full views of the sides of her bare breasts. She then draws his face toward her bare chest (seen from behind her). We then see Jonathan bang her back against a fence of sorts (with her laughing) as they kiss and have or prepare to have sex (he's shirtless). After they're done, we see them in the "spoons" position and he asks, "Do you think we could do this in a bed sometime?" We then somewhat see a frontal view of her bare breasts as she passes through some shadows.
A woman brings a sportscaster a drink and he stares at her ample cleavage, while other women at the event are also scantly clad.
Aurora shows a great deal of cleavage (and parts of the sides of her bare breasts) in an outfit she wears.
Aurora tells Jonathan that she was thinking she might take him home to her bed.

SMOKING: Marcus smokes a cigar once, while various characters smoke cigarettes or cigars in various scenes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: How sports have become incorporated and that money rules what occurs.
Marcus telling Jonathan to close his eyes (to any possible wrongdoings) and just take the money they're paid to play the game.

VIOLENCE: Jonathan and another person race down the hilly streets of San Francisco lying feet first on elongated skateboards, zipping through traffic, stop signs and busy intersections (and in one case, under a truck). As they do so, the two bang into and hit each other. The other racer eventually runs into a car that stops the skateboard but sends him flying through the air and a storefront window.
During the first Rollerball match, various competitors wipe out, with one smacking their head onto a hard object and another smacking into the Plexiglas surrounding the track. Others are knocked down, and one player punches another. A motorcyclist drives over one downed player. One male player grabs a woman's skirt and she turns around, punches and then pummels him. Others are knocked down or around during the match.
One of Jonathan's teammates isn't wearing his helmet (after it's knocked off his head) and an opposing player then smashes him in the face with the large, metal Rollerball (severely injuring him).
After that, Jonathan sets out to get his revenge, and thus runs into and knocks over opposing players. His teammates use a person's body to clothesline others. He also flies through the air and hits someone in the head with his feet.
A man backhands a street vendor.
We hear a few gunshots in a club, but don't see what happened.
Aurora breaks some surveillance cameras on the wall/ceiling so that they don't capture her and Jonathan having sex in the team locker room.
After we hear an explosion, protestors smash windshields and storefront windows, while one throws a torch into Jonathan's car that sets it on fire.
A man suddenly grabs Aurora, and Jonathan then hits and kicks him many times, eventually wresting a gun from him.
During the second Rollerball match, more people are hit and knocked down (with punches being thrown).
Alexi is upset with a man and must be restrained as he brandishes a handgun, but that may have all just been an act for publicity.
A player smashes another through a Plexiglas wall on the track (after it's been loosened to break). Those in the stands then attack and struggle with him and other players (resulting in some bloody cuts).
Aurora mentions her friend being found with his throat cut and his mouth sewn shut (we don't see him).
More people are hit and knocked around during the match.
Alexi smacks Sanjay.
A huge opponent knocks Aurora from her motorcycle, and then rips the gas line before letting her back on it (she kicks him at this point, but doesn't realize the leaking fuel). As she rides off (leaving a trail of gasoline on the track), the man lights the fuel and the fire races after her. Marcus manages to knock her from her ride just in time (as it catches on fire), but then rides up over the top of the Plexiglas side and crashes to the floor below (we see him being taken away on a stretcher with a few bloody cuts/bruises on his head). We also see a few people on fire having extinguishers taken to them.
As Jonathan and Marcus try to escape at night, various vehicles approach them from behind and Marcus then bumps and rams the other vehicles into railings, etc. (with the two eventually escaping from their van on a motorcycle). As they then ride along at high speeds, lights come up behind them and a huge plane flies just overhead and lands in front of them. Dune buggies then come out and pursue the two off-road, with someone firing some sort of explosive shells at them, eventually knocking them from their ride. One such dune buggy crashes while going downhill, tossing out its passengers. After Marcus then jumps an opened drawbridge, another explosive shell hits his bike, knocking him to the road (and injuring or killing him).
Alexi opens the back of a cargo plane in flight and threatens to throw Jonathan from it, but is restrained from doing so.
One of Aurora's new teammates suddenly grabs her by the back of her neck.
In another Rollerball match, more players are hit, and we see that Aurora's new teammates have tied her arms behind her back, with one man having his foot on her to keep her on the floor. Jonathan then ducks out of the way just in time when someone tries to hit him with a long playing stick with a curved end for catching the ball. A person is hit in the face, and another is hit on the head with one of those playing sticks. A player then hits Jonathan, and a person is smashed into one of the walls.
As this continues, it appears that another player is killed when their head is smacked against a hard surface. Another person is hit on the back of the head with one of those playing sticks.
Jonathan then punches a very large player many times who, in turn, punches him back many times. A person then comes along and hits him with one of those playing sticks. The two exchange more punches and a motorcycle then strikes Jonathan.
When the live feed of the match is interrupted, someone in a bar throws something that smashes the front of a TV.
Guards pull a player down from the top of the Plexiglas wall and then shoot him dead (no blood).
A player flips through the air, with his head smacking against a hard surface (and killing or knocking him unconscious).
Jonathan crashes through the owner's box window (and breaks the glass) and runs into Alexi, stunning him. The owner's men then try to shoot Jonathan, but he hits one with the Rollerball, and strikes another several times. Another man then approaches with a gun and Jonathan then hits that man with an uprooted stool.
Alexi can't get a loaded shotgun out of a locked case, so he tries to rip it out, breaking off part of it (but the rest is still attached to the rung). He then fires it at Jonathan who blocks the shot with the above stool that he then uses to hit Alexi.
Various other people fight and struggle with each other (a person is stabbed, etc.).
Another man pulls a gun on Jonathan who uses the above broken shotgun to shoot that man and blow him backwards, killing him.
More people fight, with one being smashed through a window, others being hit, another person is grabbed around the neck, a car is turned over, and satellite dishes are torn from the top of trailers.

Reviewed February 8, 2002 / Posted February 8, 2002

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